Here’s a chance to learn a lot about the quality soil – especially if you plan to grow something in it. The Soil Kitchen will be open in Clark Park this Saturday and Sunday, from noon to 5 p.m. Urban soil is often full of contaminants like mercury, cadmium and lead, so if you want to have it tested and see if it’s safe to use, bring a plastic bag of dried and homogenized soil (with as few stones as possible). The University of Pennsylvania Department of Earth and Environmental Science’s mobile lab will be on site to do the soil testing. The results will be provided for free and can be location-anonymous. You can also learn strategies for dealing with gardening on contaminated soil at this event.
NOTE: if it rains tomorrow, the event will be held at the lobby of Hill College House at the University of Pennsylvania (3333 Walnut St).
For more information visit the Soil Kitchen 2013 website. And here are soil sampling instructions… in comic strip form:
March 15th, 2013 at 4:49 pm
This is awesome! Thanks for spreading the word and thanks to Soil Kitchen for the detailed instructional sketches.
March 16th, 2013 at 12:01 pm
It’s looking snowy/rainy outside. Is this event still at Clark Park, or has it moved to Hill College House?
March 16th, 2013 at 1:30 pm
They are at the Hill College House today. 33rd & Walnut.
March 16th, 2013 at 1:27 pm
There’s contact info here: http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~erosion/Soil_Kitchen_2013.html